RE: poll text call & clarification on mkt research

Thank you for these links.  These advertising technologies appear to depend on covertly measuring UA state - it mentions hover and page rending.  There may be technological solutions to protect users who do not wish to share such state - disabling JS and spoofing the window size would probably go a long way.  These covert technologies must be using some back channels and perhaps these could just be blocked by an extension etc.  The W3C Private User Agent (PUA) Community Group is exploring such technological solutions.  The main concern regarding DNT is information that users necessarily share browsing the web, but it would also be good to allow the user to indicate they do not want to be tracked, and if they are being track it would be good if the DNT protocol informed the user.  For example, if a website refused to accept a request not to track mouse movements and page rending, then at least the UA could switch on defensive measures, or the user to proceed with due care.

cheers
Fred

From: jeff@democraticmedia.org
Date: Sat, 29 Sep 2012 11:20:35 -0400
To: public-tracking@w3.org
Subject: poll text call & clarification on mkt research

I hope this isn't late.  
I vote for John Simpson's option, if it is on table.  
As for market research, the distinctions between such research and the targeting function have become intertwined (see: http://www.adexchanger.com/online-advertising/google-to-support-viewable-impressions-grp/; http://www.comscore.com/Press_Events/Press_Releases/2012/4/For_Display_Ads_Being_Seen_Matters_More_than_Being_Clicked).
  I want to clarify that when DNT:1 is sent, that market research cannot be used to improve the targeting function of the user -or used to target other users based on what has been collected or analyzed on the DNT-enabled user.  I hope that Kathy Joe and others will specify what data is collected and used for market research that will be impacted by DNT:1.
Many thanks and see many of you soon.
Jeff




Jeffrey ChesterCenter for Digital Democracy1621 Connecticut Ave, NW, Suite 550Washington, DC 20009www.democraticmedia.orgwww.digitalads.org202-986-2220